Ernest P. Shoup Farm – FDA Warning Letter, Feb 23, 2012

On January 30, February 3, 15, and 23, 2012, the FDA investigated Ernest P. Shoup Farm, a dairy operation in Dalton, Ohio. The investigation found violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).

Specifically, on July 26, 2011, a bob veal calf sold for slaughter was found to be adulterated. Tissue samples from the calf, slaughtered on July 27, 2011, showed 23.67 ppm of neomycin in the kidney and 7.743 ppm of sulfamethazine in the liver. These levels exceed the FDA tolerances of 7.2 ppm for neomycin in cattle kidney and 0.1 ppm for sulfamethazine in cattle liver. The use of Scour Gard Soluble Scour Control Formula (neomycin/oxytetracycline) and Sustain III Calf Bolus (sulfamethazine) in bob veal calves has no acceptable residue level, rendering the food adulterated under section 402(a)(2)(C)(ii) of the FD&C Act.

The operation also held animals under insanitary conditions, likely leading to medicated animals with harmful drug residues entering the food supply, violating section 402(a)(4) of the FD&C Act. Deficiencies included failure to maintain treatment records, inadequate drug inventory, and